OCCASIONAL .pAPER NO. 1~ Zoological Survey of India RECORDS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 156 The Hawkmoths (Lepidoptera . Sphingidae) of KumaoD, N. India: A Probable Case of Faunal Drift. by PETER SMETACEK The Himalayan Bco-Orological Project Jones Estate, P. O. Bhimtal, N ainjtal, 263 136 u. p, Edited by the Director, Zoological Survey of India 1994 © Copyright: Government of India, 1994 Published : February, 1994 Price : ·Inland: - Rs. 55-00 Foreign: £ 3·00 $ 4-00 Printed in India, by A. K. Chatterjee___ at Jnanodaya Press, SSB, Kabi Sukanta Sarani,. Calcutta 70008S and published by the Director, Zoological Survey of India. Calcutta. RECORDS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA Oceasinal Paper No. 156 1994 Pages 1-55 CONTENTS Jntroduction 1 Material and Methods ... 2 Distribution 5 Key Words 7 Discussion 50 Conclusion ... 54 Summary ... ••• 55 Acknowledgements ... ••• • •• SS INTRODUCTION The administrative division of Kumaon, in the western hills of Uttar Pradesh, lies between 28° 44' North to 300 49' North latitude and 78° 45' East to 81" l' East longitude. Comprising a cross section of the Himalayan range, from the Terai beJt below the foothills to the rainsha­ dow area of the Himalaya, it harbours a wide variety of flora and fauna, ranging from typically tropical to nivaI zone species. The presence of deep valleys throughout the central and outer ranges has facilitated the colonisation of these areas by low elevation species. Thus, it is not unusual for a single hillside to possess a faunal representation character­ istic of several climatic zones. 000 motrol 2. 3 Regional 4 5 zones Fig. 1: Cross section of regional climatic zones of Kumaon division (Not to scale) Osmaston (1927) has distinguished five regional belts on a north to south axis, the outermost being the sub-montane tract below the foothills. The second tract, which receives the heaviest rainfall in the region (see Fig. 1) extends to the crest of the outermost hill range. The third and largest tract comprises the major part of KumaoD, from the crest of the outermost range to the southern face of the main range. The fourth consists of the main Himalayan range. and the fifth, the rain shadow area north of the main range. The first four tracts are subject to monsoon rains from late June to September with some rain during January and February. Hailstorms BI<l 1 2 REe. ZQOL. SURV. INDIA, Occ. PAPER No. 156 are not unusual during March and April while May and the first half of June are usually rather hot and dry months. The present study has been undertaken mainly in order to contri­ bute fauna) data towards the eventual re-introduction of indigenous forests in this and neighbouring areas. MATERIAL AND METHODS The present list has been compiled from specimens collected since 1970 by Fred Smetacek Sr. and regular observations by the author since 1983, mainly at Jones Estate, which occupies the micro-watershed between the Bhimtal and Sattal lake systems in the outermost hill range. The Bhimtal (4340 ft.) and SattaI (4220 ft.) lakes occupy the lowest parts of their respective valleys while the highest point on the watershed (5680 ft.) looks on to the adjoining plains, where the Gaula river emerges from the hills. Jones Estate is well forested, possessing three major biotypes : Broadleaf Evergreen with Quercus leucolrichophora A. Camus (Fagaceae) and Persea odoralissima Nees (Lauraceae) as dominant species; Conifer. with Pinus roxburghii Sarg. (Pinaceae) and Cupressus torulosa D. Don (Cupressaceae) as dominant species; and Miscellaneous Deciduous with Anogelssus lati/olia Wall. (Combretaceae), Bauhinia vareigala Linne', B. retusa Roxb., Erythrina suberosa Roxb. (Legumi1losae) and Sapium Insigne Trim. (Euphorbiaceae) as prominent components. Forest type in other parts of Kumaon were visited during peak flying periods. In the second regional belt, these were: (a) Kilbury, (alt. 7,200 ft.) a dense Reserve Forest 8 Km. by road roughly north of NainitaI where specimens were collected in dense forest at kilometer 8 and on a grassy hillside near kilometer 6 along the road. Dominant vegetation within several kilometers is Broadleaf Bver. green (Quercus floribunda) Lindley ex. A. Camus, Q. leucolrichDphora and some Q.lanala Smith: (Fagaceae); Conifer (Cupressus torulosa) on the slopes of the adjoining Nainital valley and Pinus roxburghil on the lower slopes around the village of Pangot. SMITACEK : The hawkmoths of Kumaon 3 (b) The Pines (alt. 5,900 ft.) roughly 5 km. south-east by road of Nainital, near a small patch of Quercus lanata amidst Pinus roxburghii on the adjoining slopes, with Quercus floribunda higher up the hillside. (e) Maheshkhan Reserve Forest (alt. 7,200 ft.), a dense forest 17 kin. by road east of Nainital with Quercus floribunda and Q. leucotrlcho­ phDra as dominant species; Rhododendron arboreum Smith (Ericaceae) and Quercus lanata higher up. (d) Oagar Pass (alt. 7,700 ft.), above Maheshkhan Reserve Forest with widespread apple cu1tivation and grassy hillsides adjoining the forest. Very few specimens of hawkmoths were collected here. The absence of Lcmgla ze"zerDides Moore from this area is surprising. (e) Okhalkanda Forest Calt. 7,200 ft.). circa 60 km. by motor road east of Nainital, with Abies plndrow Royle (Pinaceae) and QueTcus florl­ bunda as dominant species. In the third regional belt, the following sites were visited : (1) KatarmaJ (alt. 4,200 ft.), 6 km. north west of Almora, at the Forest Rest House, which is surrounded by a small patch of Quercus leucotr;choph oro , with scattered Pinus roxburghii above and cultivation in the valley below. Only two specimens were collected here. One, a male Thamnoecha uniformis Rothschild & Jordan, was interesting while the seoond, TherelTa oldenlandiae Fabricius was expected. (2) Binsar Sanctuary (roughly alt. 7,700 ft.), 30 km. north of· Almora, a dense Quercus jloribunda, Q. leucotrichophora and Rhododen­ dron arboreum dominated forest, with Pinus roxburghii on the lower slopes. The absence of Cechenena mirabilis Butler from this area is surprising. (3) Jageshwar (approx. alt. 6,000 ft.), a temple town 34 km. north east of Atmora with a small patch of Cedrus deodara G. Don (Plnaceae) with Q. leucotrichophora and Pinus roxburghii on the higher slopes. There is cultivation further down the valley. (4) Kausani (alt. 5,250 ft.), 52. km. roughly north west of Almora, where no hawkmoths were recorded near the State Bungalow on June 17th, 1990, at a mercury vapour lamp. (5) Gan~i (alt. 3,200 ft.)~ 108 km, north west of Almora~ where 4 REC. ZQOL. SURV. INDIA, Occ. PAPER No. IS6 one Agrius convolvuli Linnaeus was collected. In the main range, only one site was visited in Kumaon, that is, the village of Sarna (alt. approx. 6,500 ft.), approximately 35 km. north- _east of Bageshwar town, which is surrounded by a dense forest domina­ ted by Quercus florlbunda and Q. leucDtrichophora. I collected a specimen of Acosmerxy naga Moore at Joshimath in N. Garhwal as weII as one Clanidopsis exusta Butler, one Eupanacra metalfica Butler and two specimens of Cechenena scotti Rothschild in ~uli forest above 10shimath on Aug. 17, 1992. Also three specimens of Rhopalopsyche nycleris Kollar at 13,200 feet e1evation in the Khiron valley north of loshimath, on the southern slope of Neelkanth (20,300 ft.). They were active in a fog that had sent even the bumble bees to seek shelter. In the present study, very little work has been carried out at low elevation in Kumaon. In order to compensate for this lacuna, species recorded by Bell & Scott (1937) and D'Abrera (1986) have been included. BREEDING Little emphasis was placed on breeding experiments. Notes Jiave been entered in cases where a particular foodp]ant was accepted or reject­ ed by larvae of a particular species, which modifies or adds to the literature on the subject, mainly work carried out by Bell & Scott (1937). ATTRACTANTS The main method of surveying populations was white mercury vapour lamps, of 160 watts at the main study site in Jones Estate and 12S watts intensity at the other locations. Experiments with blue ultra­ violet lamps and tubelights, in combination with a mercury vapour lamp at the main study site did not perceptibly improve attendence. When blue UV light was used without a mercury vapour lamp, numerous ~6 ,~. - )6 /~. ) .,.-~) ,,- /'~' I S' ---------- i AREA OF STuny CRO SSHATCHED • 0 o ~ . .0. J' , . () 0. s- • ~ s.._ ':21,DGO"orc km I~~ ~ I~OO 300 400 S~O km f· .. 0 72° 76° 1ItJ0 IU" 8(}0 92 96- Based upon Survey.of India Outline Map printed in 1987. The terntonal waters of India extend intO the sea to 8 distance of twelve nautical ,miles measured from the appropriate base line. ~asponsibility for correctnes& of internal detai" shown on the map rests with the publisher. © C Government 0 1 India copyright. 1987, SMET ACEK: The hawkmoths of Kumaon beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were attracted and little else. Hence, a single mercury vapour lamp, reflected off a white sheet, appears to be the most effective attractant. Only two species of hawkmoths in this area appear to be occasio. nally attracted to over-ripe fruit, i.e. Anambulyx elwesi Druce and Ampelophaga rubiginosa Bremer & Grey. Specimens of Macroglossum Scopoli, Cephonodes HUbner, Gurelca Kirby, Hemaris Dalman and Rhopalopsyche Butler were collected at flowers during the day while some specimens of Nephele didyma Fab., 'f'heretra clotho Drury and Theretra oldenlandiae Fab. were taken at flowers of Bauhinia vareigala Linnaeus at dusk. FLYING TIME The period of emergence of hawkmoths from their pupae has been observed to be governed by the weather rather than dates. In the wake of a major forest fire in Jones Estate in May 1984 and the drought years of the latter part of the eighties, population levels of most species dropped.